"We arrived at our hotel to find the lobby full of Iranians. Unaccustomed to seeing so many of our fellow countrymen in one place, my parents started mingling feverishly, discovering friends of friends and long-forgotten colleagues."
This reminds me of when Sundara's aunt comes on the plane from Cambodia. There are Cambodians all over the airport ready to make her feel welcome in American, just like all of the Iranians coming to Washington D.C. to welcome the Shah.
"The demonstrators had crossed the road, They were stampeding toward us waving sticks with nails driven into them. People were screaming and running. Instead of Iranian flags the lawn was suddenly covered with bloody and injured Iranians. My parents and I ran and ran and ran."
Demonstrations like these are why Sundara's family moved to America, to escape the brutal punishments from the Khmer Rouge, but things like that still happen in America. There is still unlawful demonstrations against certain groups, like Iranians and the Shah.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
It's All Relatives
"Growing up in Iran, I was not surrounded by snow, or tanned people, but by relatives. Not surprisingly, my native language, Persian, contains many more precise words for relatives than does the English language."
Family is important in Iranian and Cambodian cultures. Sundara and Firoozeh were always surrounded with family, and although after moving they didn't see their extended family often, they still stuck together and helped each other adapt.
"When we moved to America, I no longer had access to those fragrances and I forgot all about my aunt's garden. Strolling through a market in Berkeley one day, I spotted a vaguely familiar flower. I bent down and smelled a sweet pea for the first time in fifteen years. Suddenly I was six years old again and running around chasing butterflies."
Even though both Sundara and Firoozeh left behind close relatives, especially Sundrara who left behid her immediate family, they still have all of the good memories of their family that they can never leave behind.
Family is important in Iranian and Cambodian cultures. Sundara and Firoozeh were always surrounded with family, and although after moving they didn't see their extended family often, they still stuck together and helped each other adapt.
"When we moved to America, I no longer had access to those fragrances and I forgot all about my aunt's garden. Strolling through a market in Berkeley one day, I spotted a vaguely familiar flower. I bent down and smelled a sweet pea for the first time in fifteen years. Suddenly I was six years old again and running around chasing butterflies."
Even though both Sundara and Firoozeh left behind close relatives, especially Sundrara who left behid her immediate family, they still have all of the good memories of their family that they can never leave behind.
America, Land of the Free
"During out Thanksgiving meal, my father gives thanks for living in a country where he can vote. I always share gratitude for being able to pursue my hopes and dreams, despite being female. My relatives and I are proud to be Iranian, but we also give tremendous thanks for our lives in America, a nation where freedom reigns."
Like Firoozeh, Sundara is also thankful for all of the opportunities that are available to her now since she lives in America. In the end of Children of the River Sundara is glad that she lives in America, but she is still proud to come from Cambodia and she wants to balance the two cultures.
"The more modest and impractical the kitchen, the more likely one will be invited to stay for a meal. Show me a fancy house with a top-of-the-line gourmet kitchen, and I'll show you a family that eats out a lot."
Even though Sundara's kitchen (and house) was small. There was always home made Cambodian meals prepared for the family to eat.
"Prize Club is a chain of huge warehouses that sells items in large quantities. Toilet comes in packages of thirty-six rolls and one box of muffin mix yields 144 muffins. As far as I know, Prize Club has no restaurant. Puzzled I probed forward. 'What did you eat there?' 'Samples,' he said.
Prize Club sounds exactly like Sam's Club. One time my mom and I were shopping in Sam's Club and we were going to go out for lunch after, but by the time we got through the store and tried the samples we weren't hungry anymore.
Like Firoozeh, Sundara is also thankful for all of the opportunities that are available to her now since she lives in America. In the end of Children of the River Sundara is glad that she lives in America, but she is still proud to come from Cambodia and she wants to balance the two cultures.
"The more modest and impractical the kitchen, the more likely one will be invited to stay for a meal. Show me a fancy house with a top-of-the-line gourmet kitchen, and I'll show you a family that eats out a lot."
Even though Sundara's kitchen (and house) was small. There was always home made Cambodian meals prepared for the family to eat.
"Prize Club is a chain of huge warehouses that sells items in large quantities. Toilet comes in packages of thirty-six rolls and one box of muffin mix yields 144 muffins. As far as I know, Prize Club has no restaurant. Puzzled I probed forward. 'What did you eat there?' 'Samples,' he said.
Prize Club sounds exactly like Sam's Club. One time my mom and I were shopping in Sam's Club and we were going to go out for lunch after, but by the time we got through the store and tried the samples we weren't hungry anymore.
Waterloo
"Hearing him explain it made swimming as easy as baking a Betty Crocker cake from a mix. You just add water and there you go."
This simile put a nice picture in my head. The author did a great job of having you feel what it was like for Kazem to teach you how to swim. It seams like a modern version of "easy as pie", "easy as a Betty Crocker cake mix".
"Once we arrived, I went straight to the beach. I took a few steps into the water, where a gentle wave lifted me and I started to swim. Simple as that."
I feel that her journey to learn how to swim is similar to Sundara's journey to adapting to culture. In the beginning it was very hard and scary, and her aunt made it harder, but in the end she discovered how to do it on her own.
This simile put a nice picture in my head. The author did a great job of having you feel what it was like for Kazem to teach you how to swim. It seams like a modern version of "easy as pie", "easy as a Betty Crocker cake mix".
"Once we arrived, I went straight to the beach. I took a few steps into the water, where a gentle wave lifted me and I started to swim. Simple as that."
I feel that her journey to learn how to swim is similar to Sundara's journey to adapting to culture. In the beginning it was very hard and scary, and her aunt made it harder, but in the end she discovered how to do it on her own.
With a Little Help from My Friends
"They wanted to know about more important things, such as camels. How many did we own back home? What did we feed them? Was it a bumpy ride? I always disappointing them by admitting that I had never seen a camel in my entire life."
Like Jonathan was interested in Sundara's culture, the kids at Firoozeh's school were interested in her culture. The big difference is age. Jonathan was older and he understood more of what Sundara had been through. The second graders at Firoozeh's school were not as aware, so they asked questions like the ones about camels, because that's what they associated with Iran.
"If someone had been able to encapsulate the kindness of these second-graders in pill form, the pills would undoubtedly put many war correspondents out of business."
Unlike Sundara who was constantly being pushed back into her own culture, everyone was helping Firoozeh fit in with the new American culture. Whether it was by giving her new food, or a costume for Halloween Firoozeh's friends and neighbors were very helpful.
Like Jonathan was interested in Sundara's culture, the kids at Firoozeh's school were interested in her culture. The big difference is age. Jonathan was older and he understood more of what Sundara had been through. The second graders at Firoozeh's school were not as aware, so they asked questions like the ones about camels, because that's what they associated with Iran.
"If someone had been able to encapsulate the kindness of these second-graders in pill form, the pills would undoubtedly put many war correspondents out of business."
Unlike Sundara who was constantly being pushed back into her own culture, everyone was helping Firoozeh fit in with the new American culture. Whether it was by giving her new food, or a costume for Halloween Firoozeh's friends and neighbors were very helpful.
Swoosh-Swoosh
"Unlike America, where only the wealthy have live-in servants, in Iran even middle-class families employ full-time help."
It's strange to think about having people live with you and work for you, but it is just another difference between Iranian and American culture. Although it seems strange for everyone to have a servant, it must be strange if that's what you're used to, and then going to another country where that isn't the case.
"Starting at one end, we ate our way through the mall, skipping only one place called Der Wienerschnitzel. The name was unpronounceable and we have no interest in eating dogs, hot or otherwise."
Like Sundara's family, Firoozeh and her family were starting to experiment with the new American food, even though it was strange. The hot dog stand was another example of the language barrier. If you think about it "hot dog" does sound very unappetizing.
It's strange to think about having people live with you and work for you, but it is just another difference between Iranian and American culture. Although it seems strange for everyone to have a servant, it must be strange if that's what you're used to, and then going to another country where that isn't the case.
"Starting at one end, we ate our way through the mall, skipping only one place called Der Wienerschnitzel. The name was unpronounceable and we have no interest in eating dogs, hot or otherwise."
Like Sundara's family, Firoozeh and her family were starting to experiment with the new American food, even though it was strange. The hot dog stand was another example of the language barrier. If you think about it "hot dog" does sound very unappetizing.
Save Me, Mickey
“Our hometown, Abadan, was about as safe a place as anyone could hope for... My father was actually aware of the dangers inherent in our new surroundings and lectured me regularly on the perils of strangers.”
Just because people move to the USA doesn’t mean that they aren’t leaving good things behind. Sundara loved her country and was said to be forced out, and even though Firoozeh came her by choice there were still things she missed about Abadan, like how safe it is.”
“Just to get rid of her I walked up to the boy, who, breaking all stamina records, was still crying, and said in Persian, ‘Are you Iranian?’ The boy stopped crying for a moment, then let out the loudest scream heard since biblical times. Not only was he separated from his loved ones, he was now trapped in the Tower of Babel.”
This is an example of stereotyping, the people at Disney assumed that just because Firoozeh and the other boy looked alike, that they would speak the same language. This is like when Coach Hackenbruck was mad at Sundara and assumed she was Vietnamese. Another example of stereotyping was in the teen immigrants movie when Fatima was talking about the “terrorist” stereotype.
Just because people move to the USA doesn’t mean that they aren’t leaving good things behind. Sundara loved her country and was said to be forced out, and even though Firoozeh came her by choice there were still things she missed about Abadan, like how safe it is.”
“Just to get rid of her I walked up to the boy, who, breaking all stamina records, was still crying, and said in Persian, ‘Are you Iranian?’ The boy stopped crying for a moment, then let out the loudest scream heard since biblical times. Not only was he separated from his loved ones, he was now trapped in the Tower of Babel.”
This is an example of stereotyping, the people at Disney assumed that just because Firoozeh and the other boy looked alike, that they would speak the same language. This is like when Coach Hackenbruck was mad at Sundara and assumed she was Vietnamese. Another example of stereotyping was in the teen immigrants movie when Fatima was talking about the “terrorist” stereotype.
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